A new data center development could be coming to Hamilton, Canada.

Ontario’s McMaster University this week announced it is beginning exploratory work on a new opportunity for its 44 Frid Street property - the former Hamilton Spectator building - at McMaster Innovation Park.

The university said it is considering a proposal from s2e Technologies to transform the site into an “innovation hub with a modern data center that could support emerging research and business computing needs, including artificial intelligence.”

McMaster put out a request for expressions of interest earlier this year to identify possible future uses for the building, with s2e’s submission selected for further study. The two organizations are now in a due diligence period that will continue into “early 2026,” with any final agreement going before the board.

Details on the potential scope of the data center were not shared.

“We are very excited about the announcement of our project to create an exciting AI collaboration and state-of-the-art sustainable sovereign AI data center with McMaster University,” s2e CEO Milfred Hammerbacher said on LinkedIn. “An opportunity to combine the tremendous assets of one of Canada's premier research Universities with Canada's strong entrepreneurs, SME's, and large enterprises working in the advanced AI space.”

Founded in 2006, Ontario-based s2e is a sustainability-focused firm aiming to develop AI data centers and other sustainable real estate. The company has developed a number of solar farms and other residential properties. It moved into the data center space last year.

McMaster Innovation Park, owned by McMaster University, acquired the Hamilton Spectator building at 44 Frid Street from media firm TorStar Corp. in March 2020 for around CA$25.5m.

Built around 1970 and now known as Spec@MIP, the site was previously planned to be a “hub for life sciences and technology companies, providing wet labs and unique spaces for growing companies.”

Laurentis Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, was previously a tenant of the building. The company announced a two-year research collaboration to “advance nuclear energy innovations” at the 260,000-square-foot building in 2020.